Tonight's NYCO's L'Amore Dei Tre Re with its updating costumes for the performers was imo completely unnecessary and very disappointing-not the greatest opera of all times but if only they had matched the singers outfits to the sets they might have brought it off-the sets suggested castles and days of old-the costumes way off the mark for us. Archibaldo might have been a mafia don, avito either a suited businessman or maybe frank sinatra, manfredo looked like a commandante from maybe a present day south american country , Fiora maybe ava gardner-well you get the idea. In addition Daria masiero as Fiora had imo a poor stage presence-the singing of all was for the most part okaywas. Len

As usual, for you it's all about the look of the production, with almost nothing to say about the music ("not the greatest opera of all times") or the singing ("for the most part okay"). Oh well, so be it, and I won't keep complaining.

When it was new, "L'Amore di Tre Re" was performed by La Scala and the Met with Toscanini conducting and top flight casts; in 1928 the Met offered Rosa Ponselle, Giovanni Martinelli, Giuseppe Danise, and Ezio Pinza. They performed it as recently as 1948, with enthusiastic reviews of the work and the performance. But I guess Rudolf Bing didn't like it, and his agenda was to increase the Met's repertory of Verdi and Richard Strauss, so the opera hasn't been heard there in 70 years and probably won't be again. Too bad. I'd like to see it with a cast and conductor worthy of it (City Opera certainly didn't promise that), and I never will.

John I was familiar with it's history-as I said if the costumes had not been so far off I think the opera could have worked-it reminds me of what the Met did with the las vegas rigoletto-rigoletto is imo not verdi's greatest opera but when done right it sure can work! I'll continue to complain when directors fiddle with the operas-remember the saying where's the beef-well for this production where was the medieval? Len

I don't think we can rule out the possibility of a Met production some time in the future . I'msure they could do it justice . I'm not familiar with the names of the cast other than Cokorinos. I got to know this wonderful opera long ago on LP from the excellent RCA recording with Cesare Siepi and Anna Moffo conducted by Nello Santi .

I well remember this Montemezzi opera. I still have the original RCA stereo recording, just one of those operas that has yet to be reissued (near as I know) in Sony Classical's continuing RCA and Columbia opera series recordings. It may yet reappear only on CD this time.

I don't think we can rule out the possibility of a Met production some time in the future . I'msure they could do it justice . I'm not familiar with the names of the cast other than Cokorinos. I got to know this wonderful opera long ago on LP from the excellent RCA recording with Cesare Siepi and Anna Moffo conducted by Nello Santi .

Yes, Robert, I have that CD set with Moffo (She and I had the same music teacher in high school, so I've collected most of her recordings over the years.). Nello Santi was one of those excellent conductors in demand all over the world that nobody remembers now. He was a client of mine at the NYAC, and I remember him fondly.

Brian, did you say you have the CD set of the Montemezzi opera on CD? If so, how did I miss it? Can you give me the catalogue number? OTOT, I may have it but it is not catalogued. I find this happens on occasion.

I don't think we can rule out the possibility of a Met production some time in the future . I'msure they could do it justice . I'm not familiar with the names of the cast other than Cokorinos. I got to know this wonderful opera long ago on LP from the excellent RCA recording with Cesare Siepi and Anna Moffo conducted by Nello Santi .

Yes, Robert, I have that CD set with Moffo (She and I had the same music teacher in high school, so I've collected most of her recordings over the years.). Nello Santi was one of those excellent conductors in demand all over the world that nobody remembers now. He was a client of mine at the NYAC, and I remember him fondly.